Tag Archives: Paranormal Fantasy

Hunter Kiss by Marjorie M. Liu

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Wild Thing

Title: Hunter Kiss
Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Hunter Kiss #0.5
In: Wild Thing (Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Demons, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: We are questioned separately, but spin stories of surprise and confusion and who-could-do-such-a-thing.

Synopsis

Enter the forbidden and recklessly exciting world of the demon horde and their willing victims…

Thoughts

I loved the prose in this. It was jumpy and a little all over the place. Quite sharp and to the point. And not really the kind of prose I would have expected from a novella in a paranormal romance collection. It wasn’t really that heavy on the romance either, that was just kind of slotted in. Which I appreciated immensely. After all, what I like about this series (the novella that I have already read anyway) is the darkness of it and the intensity.

This is the start of Hunter Kiss, a little romantic introduction that (I’m assuming) sets you up for the rest of the series. And it is one that worked really very well for me. I found it thoroughly enjoyable, if anything, a little too enjoyable in that it makes me want to not finish any of the other books on my “currently reading” pile and just jump straight into The Iron Hunt. It is taking a lot of self-control to not do this. And to you know… continue doing the work that I’m actually supposed to be doing (that I get paid to do).

This isn’t the fast-paced novella that I was expecting. Although there are demons and external impacts on Grant and Maxine, most of the story is about them getting to know each other. Specifically, it is about Maxine being introduced to her reader in all of her weird and abnormal glory. And what an introduction it is… now to hide The Iron Hunt somewhere safe so I can be a little more productive in my life…

 <- ParadiseThe Iron Hunt ->

Image source: Amazon

Coming Home by Lilith Saintcrow

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Vampire RomanceTitle: Coming Home
Author: Lilith Saintcrow
Series: Dante Valentine #5.5
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: I wonder if he’ll show up.

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Synopsis

A past love shows up at Liana’s doorstep asking for help. Will she have the strength to say no? Or will it continue to drag up memories from her past?

Thoughts

To be honest, I’m not 100% sure of what was going on in a lot of this story. It takes place at the end of a series and it makes it incredibly hard to truly understand the tensions that are occurring throughout the story. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t go out and buy the first book in the series as soon as I was finished.

For me, this story opens up a whole new world in my mind’s eye. A world of vampires and demons and some kind of assassin. And I can’t wait to find out more about it. Even in this short story, there is this amazing world building, complex relationships and a past that is haunting the protagonist. All in all, a fantastic introduction into a new world that I now have to await to arrive at my doorstep.

 <- Brother’s Keeper Review Working for the Devil Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Feast of Beauty by Helen Scott Taylor

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance

Title: The Feast of Beauty
Author: Helen Scott Taylor
In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, The Coast, Fae, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Running Press
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: They floated to the ground and her back landed on the soft sand.

Synopsis

Kate thinks that she’s visiting Ireland to fulfill a promise to her Grandmother and film an episode of her show. But what she finds there could be much more.

Thoughts

I really didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading this short story. The rest of the stories in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance have a heavy focus on the past and the days when Celtic beliefs were the primary ways in which to view the world. This tale on the other hand was heavily based in today’s modern world. And although it still featured fae and the same themes occurrent throughout this collection, it was a complete breath of fresh air.

Kate is the kind of woman I can most heavily associate with. There is this vague understanding and feeling of “the other”, but she is still firmly centred in this world. This reality. The struggles of everyday living. She’s also convinced that she has to work her absolute butt off to get where she wants to go in life (who hasn’t heard this mantra?). Yet, it turns out she is intricately connected to the world of the fae, and the beauty in this festival and understandings left me with a really pleased and relaxed smile on my face at the conclusion of this story.

<- QuicksilverCompeer ->

Image source: Goodreads

Lifeblood by P.N. Elrod

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Lifeblood

Title: Lifeblood
Author: P.N. Elrod
Series: Vampire Files #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Gangsters, Paranormal fantasy, Vampire noir
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: He opened the door and Maureen walk in.

Synopsis

Jack Fleming was an investigative journalist in Prohibition-era Chicago until he got shot by an unknown assassin, bitten by his vampire girlfriend, and became one of the undead. Now, this nice-guy nosferatu has a bunch of crazy vampire hunters on his trail armed with crosses, silver bullets, and sharp wooden stakes. He doesn’t know how they found out about him or why they are “out for his blood,” but it’s not a problem for this street-wise gumshoe, until someone starts shooting. Jack himself may be bulletproof, but his friends are not. And Jack is determined to get some answers, even if it kills him-again. It’s a case of the living versus the undead. But who’s hunting whom?

Thoughts

Elrod does it again. She takes this great world of the 1930’s with gangsters and mobsters and creates an amazingly fun and intriguing crime story. Which happens to feature a vampire. It isn’t overly heavy handed on the idea of vampirism and Fleming’s new life, but it does make it all about it in its own, unique way. Honestly, I loved this story from beginning to end. It romanticises a time that I’m sure wasn’t’ even remotely romantic, and makes me think of club singers and back door deals and a time before really good security systems (because, let’s face it, none of this storyline is plausible in our current day and age of technology).

Bloodlist explained Fleming’s death and helped him come to terms with his new vampirism. But there is the mystery of Maureen, the woman who turned him. And, although Lifeblood doesn’t answer all the mysteries related to this past love, it does help to explain her disappearance. And honestly, it was a cause and creation which I really wasn’t expecting. And definitely enjoyed.

So far, the Vampire Files stories aren’t insanely fast paced. I tend to pick them up and put them down again. It is really only in the last quarter that it becomes very difficult to put the tales down. This is because of the way in which Elrod uses the majority of the storyline to set up the big finale. It’s a well-paced, fun book and one I can justify picking up when I have a lot of other, more responsible things to do…

<- BloodlistBloodcircle ->

Image source: Goodreads

Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Bloodlist

Title: Bloodlist
Author: P.N. Elrod
Series: Vampire Files #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Gangsters, Paranormal fantasy, Vampire noir
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: Escott was standing on the fender of the Nash, craning to get a better view of things.

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Synopsis

I’ve always had a weak spot for strange ladies. One very beautiful girl had even warned me that she was get this a vampire. But did I listen? No. Before you know it, I m being chased by an ugly thug with a gun, and a bullet blasts its way through my back, and believe it or not nothing happened. I survived! How? You guessed it. I, Jack Fleming, ace reporter, have been transformed into a vampire. Which has its advantages. You never die, you never grow old, you sleep all day…and best of all, you can hunt down your own murderer. This is the first book in the exciting vampire adventure series, The Vampire Files.

Thoughts

I am mildly obsessed with this story. It was a beautiful tale of the noir persuasion, set in Chicago in the 1930s. It was fiddled with mobsters and gangsters. Beautiful club singers and tough private detectives. And, also, a vampire. It worked just beautifully.

Jack Fleming is one of my favourite characters – he strikes me as gangly and a little odd. Somebody that doesn’t quite fit in, but still has found his own way in the world. Yet, for all of this, he is incredibly fun and not self-conscious at all. He just has this fun, gumptious way of living, that, even though he is undead, carries throughout the tale. His characterisation provides a great, fun counterpoint to the rest of the tale which is quite dark and convoluted.

I haven’t read many books that feature the 1930s. Or Chicago gangsters for that matter. So this was a fun, new world to step into. And there is something about this genre, this time in history, this style, that makes the story kind of fun and nostalgic. It almost makes you think of a “simpler time” as jack battles to unravel the mysteries of his own death.

Unlike most vampire tales, this one left me with some amazing dreams – dreams of the 1930s and prohibition and the romanticism of crime. Alright, this might not have all been realistically within the same time period, but in my brain they work seamlessly and now I can’t wait to see how the next of Jack’s adventures goes.

<- Dark LadyLifeblood ->

Image source: Urban Fantasy Wiki

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2001
5th sentence, 74th page: I began squirming to the bed table, not happy but resigned.

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Synopsis

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability”. She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome – and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life…

But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of – big surprise – murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next….

Thoughts

I’ve had this suggested again and again and again. So I finally decided that it was necessary to read this. And I’m really glad it did. It turned into one of those good-bad guilty pleasure stories. Something that I want to keep reading, but not the jaw dropping, earth shattering story that I was half expecting. This might be because I could see a lot of parallels with Twilight. Which I hate.

Sookie is kind of a fun and entertaining voice through which to tell the story. She is witty, and a little sarcastic. And not in the slightest bit tough. Which is a complete departure from the kinds of stories that I normally read. She’s a waitress with a keen sense of intelligence and loyalty – but she does tend to lean on the men around her for support. For somebody who normally reads stories about fiercely independent women, this was actually a really lovely departure that I continuously thought about and dreamed of.

Bill honestly bores me. Which is probably the biggest problem that I have with this book. He’s just a vampire that runs around. And courts Sookie. And just someone that wasn’t really engaging. Actually, the main reason why I want to continue reading this series is Sookie and her friend Sam. Bill is handsome, dark and runs around in the dark. That is basically it. Maybe in Living Dead in Dallas he will become a little more multi-layered.

<- More Charlaine HarrisLiving Dead in Dallas ->

Image source: Amazon

Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey MacKenzie

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Green-Eyed EnvyTitle: Green-Eyed Envy
Author: Kasey MacKenzie
Series: Shades of Fury #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: My overactive imagination the night before had delighted in reminding me over and over again that Scott had been involved with Harper, however briefly, which meant that he very well could be in danger from this lunatic

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Synopsis

As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an arcane race that has meted out justice since time immemorial. As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator, she’s responsible for solving any crimes committed by or against supernaturals.

Months have gone by since Riss discovered some unwelcome truths about her past – and managed to stop a supernatural war. Since then, tings have been quiet. Too quiet. But that all changes when the bodies of Bastai, shape-shifters also known as Cats, begin piling up in Boston’s magical underbelly – even though the legendary shifters are supposed to have ninety-nine lives.

One common thread ties the victims together: All were old flames of FBI Agent Harper Cruz. And since Scott Murphy, Riss’s lover, enjoyed a long-ago one-night stand with Harper, the Fury has twice the incentive to crack the case wide open, before the killer’s green-eyed gaze turns in Scott’s direction…

Thoughts

Everyone can get a little jealous at times. But, when that jealousy turns to something completely different that it can become dangerous. And in this case, downright deadly. Although Riss isn’t necessarily the one in danger, her own jealousy throughout this tale puts her in a decent amount of danger. And as two parallel conspiracies unfold around her, she is not only in a race to save the next victim of a serial killer, but also a race to save her own family.

Although one of these tales (the issues with her family) doesn’t actually get solved during Green-Eyed Envy, the fact that there is an extra complication in Riss’ life helps to increase the fast pace of this tale. Her ties to her family also help to not only ground her when things start getting a little bit too weird, but also create a larger issue. One that I can’t wait to see solved (hopefully) in the next Shades of Fury novel.

Serial killer tales and the race to stop them can always be interesting but adding in a supernatural spin on this murder spree, I just lapped it up. Add in Scott’s ex, racial prejudice and wedding bells in the future… well, you know that this is going to be good fun. I also love the way that issues such as racism and maddened possession are built upon to create a better understanding of the world. That, and it makes some of the issues that Riss is facing a little more relatable and realistic. I doubt anyone has seen a Fury, but we’ve all seen racism…

 <- Red Hot Fury Review Blackhearted Betrayal Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Red Hot Fury by Kasey MacKenzie

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Red Hot FuryTitle: Red Hot Fury
Author: Kasey MacKenzie
Series: Shades of Fury #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: No less than the truth.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an arcane race that has avenged wrongdoing since time immemorial. As Boston’s Chief Magical Investigator for the past five years, she’s doing what she was born to do: solving supernatural crimes.

It’s far from business as usual when the body of a sister Fury washes up in Boston Harbor. But when Riss reports that the corpse’s identity has been magically altered, she’s immediately – and inexplicably – suspended from her job. Then a human assassin makes an attempt on her life, and Riss realizes that someone is trying to stir up strife between mortals and arcanes.

When a Fury gets mad, she gets even, and Riss is determined to uncover the truth. Without the support of the mortal PD, she turns to the one man she can trust to watch her back: shape-shifting Warhound Scott Murphy. But since Scott is also Riss’s ex, she’ll have to keep a short leash on more than just the supernatural rage that feeds her power as they try to solve a murder – and stop a war…

Thoughts

When I moved out of home, a lot of my books got boxed up. And sadly this was one of them. But, recently I was able to unpack all of the amazing books that I have stashed over the years and really sink my teeth into them. I read the majority of this in one night. Even though I knew what was going to happen (kind of, it’s been a long time), it still completely swept me away and pulled me in from the very first moment. So much so that I picked up Green-Eyed Envy immediately afterwards. Like I said, it’s just that good.

Furies in the folklore are something that fascinates me – really, anything paranormal and feminine is going to fascinate me if I’m honest. And I really like how this paranormal paragon of justice is also a cop in the story – it helps to layer the paranormal on top of the reality. It’s also a little fun to read a story that starts as a paranormal murder mystery. It quickly turns into something far more complex and intense, but at the very beginning, it lulls you into thinking this is going to be a little bit of a paranormal crime type story.

As with most stories, there is a romantic entanglement throughout Red Hot Fury. However, instead of being a budding romance, it is Riss’ ex that provides the emotional entanglements that raise the stakes of the story. As much as you kind of know that they will eventually end up together (because they always do, and we always enjoy it), I liked the added complication of a past breakup and all of the hot headed words that that entails. The past really informs all of the relationships throughout this tale and the slow unravelling of what is happening along both timelines makes you want to turn each and every page as quickly as possible.

 <- White-Knuckled Fear Review Green-Eyed Envy Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Armor of Roses by Marjorie Liu

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Inked

Title: Armor of Roses
Author: Marjorie Liu
Series: Hunter Kiss #3.5
In: Inked (Karen Chance, Marjorie M. Liu, Yasmine Galenorn & Eileen Wilks)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Demons, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Books
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: It was 1944, but this could have been a quiet street sixty years from now.

Synopsis

When New York Times bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu’s demon hunter Maxine Kiss investigates a grisly murder, she finds herself involved in a conspiracy dating back to World War II – and a secret mission that her grandmother may have carried out for the U.S. government, one that involes the mysterious “Armor of Roses.”

Thoughts

Lately I’ve been enjoying a graphic novel series by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda. So, I already knew that I enjoyed this author. However, reading this novella showed me that she is certainly one that I need to buy more of! And now I have to wait for the books to arrive…

I really enjoyed the swanky opening scene of this story – it was a swanky yacht with a very different crowd and a woman who so completely obviously didn’t fit in. Which, of course, drew me in immediately. Maxine is literally a woman who is surrounded by demons… luckily they are her constant friends and companions. But, it does make it a little difficult for her to fit in with the rest of the crowd she is originally surrounded by. Luckily, this quickly changes and she heads into a world that far better suits her companions.

I really wasn’t expecting a time travel component to this story. Or a greater conspiracy that would draw in World War II. But, it worked brilliantly and it was impossible to put down from the moment Maxine was forced to visit her grandmother. It was a really good journey and, as with all stories that I love, it didn’t go where I expected or predicted. Although, it did kind of hint at the first two novels in this series that I haven’t yet read… which might ruin the storyline a little, but certainly something that I look forward to regardless.

<- Skin DeepEtched in Silver ->

Image source: Penguin Random House

Must Love Hellhounds by Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews & Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Must Love Hellhounds

Title: Must Love Hellhounds
Author: Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews & Meljean Brook
In: Must Love Hellhounds (Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Short story collections
Pace: Fast
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley Books
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She might control his cock, but nothing else.

Synopsis

Follow paranormal bodyguards Clovache and Batanya into Lucifer’s realm, where they encounter his fearsome four-legged pets in The Britlingens Go to Hell.

Seek out a traitor in the midst of a guild of nonlethal vampire trackers, one intent on eradicating members of the species of bloodsuckers, in Angels’ Judgment.

Find out why the giant three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades has left the underworld for the real world – and whose scent he’s following – in Magic Mourns.

Embark on a perilous search for the kidnapped niece of a powerful vampire alongside her blind – and damn sexy – companion and a hellhound in Blind Spot.

Thoughts

I feel so much love for this collection. Not only does it feature two of my already loved series, but it has introduced me to two more that I just have to get my hands on. The fact that all four novellas also feature a hellhound of some description… well, it just made me all the happier. And giddier. And just in general thoroughly enjoying this collection.

Although there was a great common thread throughout these four novellas, the styles and tales were completely different. I liked that they might all be paranormal fantasy, and they all had something to do with hell and demons, but they didn’t actually have all that much else in common with each other. I both loved and hated the fact that each of these tales is also part of a greater series – loved it because I have more books to fill my shelves now. Hated it because I can’t really afford to be purchasing said books.

 <- The Britlingens Go to HellBlind Spot ->

Image source: Goodreads